Geographically, the Caliphate is mostly arid desert crisscrossed by massive and fertile rivers. The oldest city and capital of the Caliphate, al-Watan, lies at an intersection between the two largest rivers. It was here that legend says the Ninety-Nine first entered the world. Each brought nine sons and nine daughters to establish a colony in the name of the Ninety-Nine. These families became the modern Caliphate nobility.
The Caliphate is strongly expansionist under a manifest destiny style dogma. Within a few centuries the Caliphate had united the disparate tribes of the desert into one nation. Then followed the fall and assimilation of the surrounding rival nations. Within a thousand years, the Caliphate began to war with other major empires of the world for territory. Conversion is compulsory for those conquered by the Caliphate.
Each of the Ninety-Nine has a unique cult headed by the most direct living descendant of the god willing to take the title of Caliph. These 99 Caliphs (successors) elect the Malak (messenger) from amongst themselves to serve as head of state. Originally, the Malak was little more than a figurehead, having very little power of his own. Over the centuries, each Malak used what ever political power they could bring to bear to bootstrap the position more control. The Malak seat eventually became a hereditary monarchy.
The Ibn al-Malik dynasty initially remained in power by refusing to allow all 99 Caliphs to meet at once, stripping them of their ability to initiate a vote. After a series of carefully calculated deals, bribes, and assassinations, the individual Caliphs were replaced with Malak supporters. The dynasty cemented its power in place by transforming their position from messenger to the Caliphs to messenger to the Ninety-Nine themselves. At the height of the Malaks’ hubris, the Ninety-Nine became manifestations of a one true God, with the Malak as the physical embodiment thereof.
Ord left the Caliphate in the midst of a civil war. The current ruler, Malak Ghaniy Ibn al-Malik, attempted to end a centuries long period of stagnation by entering into a series of foolish wars. This soured relations with several major trading partners who the Caliphate had become reliant on in lieu of the spoils of conquest. In the Caliphate’s weakened state, several historically unstable regions rebelled and declared independance. Malak Ghaniy prevented economic collapse by imposing ruinous taxes on the nobility.
The noble families, already alienated and marginalized by the Malakian monotheistic sect, saw this as an inexcusable affront. Through backroom deals and assassinations not unlike those that brought the Ibn al-Malik dynasty to power, the nobility reclaimed the Caliphs as their own. The coup began with a week long siege of the Malakian Palace and ended with a three day trial at sword point. Ord, one of hundreds of religious scholars that testified, used his conspiracy involving Prosper as evidence against the Malaks’ claim of intimate knowledge of the Ninety-Nine. Ghaniy Ibn al-Malik was stripped of his title and executed. Ord was thanked for his testimony and exiled for his radical beliefs.
The civil war proper began after Ord was exiled, so he’s not fully aware of the following details. After Malak Ghaniy’s execution, his eldest surviving son (barely teenager as his elder brothers were killed during the siege) was named Caliph al-Malik. The Caliph council started the months long process of removing the web bureaucracy that empowered the Malak seat. Until a new Malak is chosen, they are required to vote at the beginning and end of each day until a two thirds majority vote is reached. By unofficial agreement, each Caliph votes for themselves until the mess of red tape is fully sorted through.
Meanwhile, Malak Ghaniy’s cousin has claimed to be the true Caliph al-Malik and rightful successor to the Malak throne. Because the majority of commoners within the older regions of the Caliphate converted to the Malakian sect over the years, he has little trouble finding supporters and raising an army. Conversely, the nobility controls most of the wealth within the Caliphate, and most of the legitimate military power. Whether the conflict has bubbled over into full war or not yet I’ll leave up to you if it ever comes up.
By the way, I’ve used Arabic for the names. The surnames are names of the Ninety-Nine Gods of the Caliphate pantheon, which I’ve taken directly from the 99 names of God from Islam. Nobles claim to be directly descended from the Ninety-Nine, so they use Ibn (son of) as part of their surname. Commoners use Abd (slave of) and the name of the noble family that was responsible for the conquest of their ancestors. Thus, Ibn al-Malik means “son of The King” and Abd al-Batin means “slave of The Hidden”. I’m thinking Ord’s true name is Talib Abd al-Batin. If the witch would have referred to me as such I’m OK with the group knowing it.
Also, as far as Ord's faith goes, he believes the Ninety-Nine exist and have godlike power, but his studies have lead him to doubt that their worship is of any consequence. I imagine the Ninety-Nine as old school gods with very grey morality. There's also a lot of infighting within the faith. In addition to the rival polytheistic and monotheistic sects, the teachings of the gods were preserved by oral tradition in each cult of the Ninety-Nine for centuries before any attempt was made at a unified text. Because each of the Ninety-Nine gave unique insight to their their children while they still walked the earth, there exists a unique holy text for each cult in addition to the central holy text put together by agreement of the Caliphs.